Different Kinds of "Waiting"

Scripture gives us a clue why waiting can be relaxing or frustrating

In my first post I started with, “I felt stuck.” Most of us can identify with that feeling. You want something to happen, you know you are capable and ready, but nothing seems to click.

There are other times, though, when you take time to let go, relax, recharge, and enjoy the nothingness. Both feelings are completely valid… but what’s the difference? Why do we get frustrated with nothingness for some things and enjoy the silence in others?

Scripture explains the differences if look at the “words behind the words.” The Hebrew Scriptures were written in, well, Hebrew. The Hebrew people had a completely different mindset than we do today. Hidden in the various passages that refer to “waiting” are a treasure trove of meanings and applications. Here are a few:

“… but those that wait for the Lord will renew their strength.” -Isaiah 40:31

The word translated “wait” here is not the relaxing, enjoyable kind. This Hebrew word, qavah, means, “trying to move forward, but being bound or confined.” This sounds like our word, “frustrated,” but the Hebrews didn’t describe feelings as much as they did actions. Qavah conveys the actions a frustrated person would take. This word describes us when we feel stuck and don’t like it.

The best thing we can do is stop resisting the stuckness and find out why we feel that way. Sometimes, we are stuck because God isn’t ready to release us yet. When that happens, you are ready to roll. Until then, learn from the frustration.

“He [Noah] waited another seven days and sent the dove out again, but it did not return to him this time.” -Genesis 8:12

Noah waited in anticipation of the day when they could get off of that smelly, musty ark. He was excited about the possibilities that lay ahead. This kind of waiting is yachal in Hebrew. We’ve all been there. It seems like time drags on as we look forward to an exciting event. This is a better form of waiting than qavah, but we still need to be aware of what is happening around us. Are there other tasks and responsibilities that we need to attend to while we wait? How do we help someone who is not as excited as we are?

“Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him. Don’t fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who makes wicked plots happen.” -Psalm 37:7

This kind of resting is called damam. It’s what you do when you are so surprised and overwhelmed by something great that you are speechless and can’t move. We usually refer to this as awe.

This is the kind of waiting that we typically experience after the OTHER kinds of waiting when we get an answer to the why questions. I refer to these as BFO (Blinding Flash of the Obvious) experiences. Times like this usually end up being worth the wait because we see how God has been working in the background to get us ready for a big change.

Know what kind of waiting you are engaged in and let the wait be a teacher, a guide, and a consolation for the times when waiting can be hard.

Blessings!

Brent